PM inaugurates ship lift & transfer system at Karachi shipyard

KARACHI, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday inaugurated the ship lift and transfer systems at Karachi shipyard, which will help improve the efficiency of the shipping sector. The Prime Minister performed the inauguration by touching an electronic panel on the occasion. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal, parliamentarians and officials of Pakistan Navy were present.

The shiplift will work as a large elevator platform to raise the ship out of water for dry-docking ashore and lowering it back into water after completion of work.

The ship transfer system with its electro-hydraulic trolleys has been designed to transfer ships from shiplifts to dry berths on land. Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said the government was focusing on promotion of exports, encourage overseas Pakistanis to up remittances and attract foreign investment.

The prime minister said efforts were on to check money-laundering to stop loss to national exchequer.

He regretted that Pakistan could not reach its potential of the trajectory which it had maintained 50 years ago.

Nations become strong when become self-sufficient and trust their potential to flourish, he added.

He termed the installation of ship lift system as an effective use of technology to save revenue and earn foreign exchange by lending services.

He paid tribute to Pakistan Navy for the launch of ship lift and transfer system, which he said would prove fruitful in generating economic activity.

Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday stressed upon development of beach and coastline tourism in Balochistan province by properly exploring the unseen tourism potential of different areas which could lead to generation of huge revenues.

Addressing a gathering of local people here after tree plantation drive and inspection of mangrove forest, the prime minister said it was the job of the government to change living standards of the people though bringing in drastic changes.

He observed that every area had some different characteristics, adding that they must also concentrate upon those tourism spots which could attract Muslim population across the world.

The prime minister citing reason for making the country an attractive destination for the Muslims, said due to Islamophobia across the globe, the Muslims were reluctant to go to the Western or European countries along with their families for tourism.

He further said that government planned to develop the beach tourism and would seek scientific suggestions from the quality consultants in this regard.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Muhammad Kamal and other provincial authorities were also present. The prime minister said the hilly or mountainous areas were developed by the British during their rule, but these areas were being degraded slowly, citing an example of Murree which had been seen quite changes due to huge construction.

For the first time, the government was developing new hilly terrains and exploring other scenic spots to attract maximum tourists, he added.

He said the country’s coastline remained unexplored and also emphasized upon reservation and increase of mangrove forests as they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in abundance.

The Prime Minster said he was mesmerized with the beauty of the area. Allah Almighty had blessed the country with precious resources; he said and regretted that in the past, the people did not do justice with these natural gifts.

The Prime Minister underlined the need of valuing these gifts with proper development and planning.

He said once, these areas were developed into tourism spots, they would help change lives of the local people, create jobs with better education and health facilities.

The Prime Minister said the world was experiencing severe climatic impacts in forms of flooding and forest fires, affecting different parts of the globe.

He said Pakistan had already been taking lead in the global efforts to reverse climatic change impacts.

A recent report of UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), comprising a group of scientists, maintained that human activities was changing the temperature of the world in an unprecedented way, the Prime Minister said, warning that the rise in temperature would make the globe uninhabitable planet if immediate measures were not taken by the world community.

The prime minister noted that Balochistan province lacked behind in terms of progress and development due to lack of interest by the former federal governments.

The previous rulers preferred to reside in London without taking pains to visit these neglected areas. The Baloch leaders also did not pay attention to the province, he added.

The Prime Minister said for the first time in the country’s history, the federal government was spending a huge amount of Rs1000 billion for the development of Balochistan.

Such an amount was never allocated or spent in the province, he said linking progress of Balochistan province with the development of the whole country.

He expressed the resolve that government would provide all the basic facilities to the residence of the province.

The prime minister further noted that the province was rich with massive mineral resources and if proper planning was done, it would result in huge revenues for the province.